1. Field of the Invention
A device and method to facilitate the treatment of the hoof ailments laminitis and founder are provided. In particular, a secure hoof orthotic, which can be detached from a hoof with minimum trauma, that can both relieve stress and provide cushioning.
2. Description of Related Art
Veterinarians and farriers are well acquainted with the varieties of lameness problems in horses. Two particularly vexing ailments of the hoof and lower leg are laminitis and founder, both arising in the digital laminae. The digital laminae connect the hoof wall and the coffin bone and are responsible for the suspension of the animal's axial skeleton and the dissipation of impact when the animal is moving. Laminitis or founder result from trauma, inflammation and/or separation in the digital laminae, which results in partial or complete separation of the coffin bone and the inner hoof wall.
Treatment of laminitis and founder requires several aspects of the problem be considered. One is that the fever created by the founder and the accompanying trauma causes the coffin bone and the hoof wall to disconnect or separate one from the other in whole or in part. A second condition is inflammation in the laminae or inner face of the hoof wall, and the natural pull of the movement associated with contracting the leg pulls on the inflamed laminae pulling the coffin bone away from the hoof wall. Thirdly, the downward pressure resulting from the horse's own weight causes rotation or displacement of the coffin bone. This bone displacement is aggravated by pressure applied to the toe of the hoof.
Laminitis has been treated by altering the afflicted animal's diet, administering pain-killing medications, administering hoof growth stimulants, casting the afflicted leg, radically trimming the hoof, and hoof resection. Hoof pads and various types of shoes have been designed to alleviate pain to the animal caused by founder and laminitis and to assist in the treatment process. Shoes which are attached to the hoof with nails may inflict additional trauma to the horse and hinder easy access to the hoof. Strapped on pads or shoes can move relative to the hoof be unstable and not always aligned to the hoof. Accordingly, these devices have not been ideal to treat many aspects of laminitis or founder.